Agama And Tripitaka Comparative Study

SR No.: 022804
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nagaraj Muni
Publisher: Today and Tomorrows Printers and Publishers
Publication Year: 1986
Total Pages: 804
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

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vira's Nirvana in the Buddhist scriptures lay in the land of Mallas, where Buddha sojourned in his last days, whereas in accordance with the traditional belief of the Jains, Mahavira attained the Nirvana in another Pāvā situated near Rajagrha in Patna district. Hence, like the fictitious Pava, according to Dr. Jacobi, the whole story of Mahavira's Nirvana seems to be nothing but a mere fabrication. Dr. Jacobi also holds that (44) it is not justifiable to doubt the Jain traditions about the sacred place of Mahavira's Nirvana. Even if we may assume that the Buddhists had made this mistake on account of the identical name of Pavã allotted by them, for such mistakes are liable to be committed, it cannot be interpreted that the whole story about Mahavira's Nirvana is completely forged. As a matter of fact, Dr. Jacobi's caution against our expressing even the slightest possible doubt regarding the Pāvā accepted in the Jain tradition, has not only been rendered dubious on historical grounds, but it has also become baseless.
Often there happens to be a striking contrast between history and tradition. The traditional Ksatriyakunda situated near Lichchhuada is supposed to be the birth-place of Mahavira but the research carried into it by modern history has proved it wholly un-authentic. According to the historical concept, the village Basadh situated in Mujjaffarpur District, 27 miles away to the North of Patna is no other than the Ksatriyakunda, the birth-place of Mahavira. Thus the traditional birth-place lies far off to South of the Ganges, while the historically accepted place is situated to the North of the Ganges.
So is the case of Pāvā.
Traditionally accepted Pāvā lies in the South Bihar and the splendid temples standing there have made it to be the place of pilgrimage for the Jains. But history does not share the belief that it is the true place of Mahavira's Nirvana. According to the modern view, the Pāvā of Mahavira's Nirvana should be in the North of the Ganges, for the 18 kings of the republics of Mallas and Licchavis were present in Pāvā at the time of Mahavira's Nirvana (45), and this can be more true only with regard to the Pāvā, situated in the North of the Ganges, since their kingdom lay stretched towards the North side, while the Pāvā situated in the South of the